INTERESTING ISLAM INFO

• Founder of Islam:
• The founder of Islam was Muhammad.
• Muhammad was born in 570 A.D. in Mecca.
• In 622 A.D. Muhammad migrated to Medina with many followers. That is marked as the first year of the Islamic calendar

• Religious leaders:
• Each Islamic clan has their own leader.

• Where they worship:
• Muslims go to a Mosque to worship.
• In the Mosque there is a Koran (a book of worship that has words directly from Allah) and there are always carpeted floors.
• Before entering a Mosque you must remove your shoes.
• Every Friday, a person goes into the Mosque and and call from a loud speaker. This is called a, "call to prayer," and is supposed to remind people to come and pray.

• Where did Islam begin and where is it practiced today?
• Islam began in Arabia in the middle east. Arabia is known to us today as Saudi Arabia.
• Mecca is where Muhammad was born and he saw a vision of the angel Gabriel in the surrounding mountains.
• Today Islam is practiced all over the world.

• Islamic Beliefs:
• Muslims believe that Allah is the creator of the world.
• They think that Muhammad is Allah's messenger and servant.
• Muhammad received visions from the angel Gabriel while fasting in the mountains outside of Mecca. In this vision Gabriel told Muhammad that Allah was the only god and that he should share this with everyone.
• There is no other god worthy of worship except for Allah.
• Muslims can not make any pictures of any of Allah's creations.

• Allah:
• Allah is the creator and sustainer of the universe.
• Surprisingly, Allah is not loving and kind. He is just.

• Sacred Writings of Islam:
• Muslim holy scriptures are held in the Koran.
• In the Koran the literal word of Allah is revealed to Muhammad.
• Another book filled with the scriptures of Islam is the Hadith. In the Hadith there are there are scriptures of early Muslim traditions. It records the words of Muhammad's words according to family and friends. These records are not usually recorded in Koran's.

• Practices of Islam:
• Muslims pray five times per day.
• They have personal practices.
• Muslims worship by moving through postures like sitting, standing, and kneeling,
• They practice their beliefs by fasting during Ramadan.

• Religious Festivals:
• One holiday in Islam is Ramadan. During Ramadan, Muslims fast for one month. This event happens during the ninth month of the Islamic calendar.
• Hajj is a pilgrimage to Mecca during the twelfth month of the calecrescentnder. This is one of the Five Pillars of Faith.

• Islamic Symbols:
• A symbol of Islam is the star and crescent moon. It represents Islamic faith.